Current Projects

Renovate your space with VIY & Think Active

Think Active and VIY are working together to provide the opportunity for up to six organisations across Coventry, Solihull and Warwickshire to receive funding and support to help refurbish local youth and community centres, grassroots sports clubs and other community facilities in need of repairs, refurbishment and improvement.

In addition to improving your local facilities, your project will also benefit from the VIY experience, which combines volunteering and DIY by challenging young people aged 14-24 to learn trade and building skills, on the job. Please read the guidance below and if you have a project idea, please complete this Expression of Interest form.

Complete Expression of Interest form here

 

The benefits of a VIY refurbishment:

  1. Improving facilities at sports clubs and other community spaces, helping you to increase levels of participation in sport and physical activity 
  2. Enabling young people to engage in trade-skills based volunteering/work experience

 

How it Works

Young People volunteering
Young People who volunteer on a project are mentored by professional tradespeople and gain City & Guilds vocational accreditations as well as, where relevant/possible, access to further training, work placement and employment progression opportunities with VIY partners and local project supporters. We encourage Clubs to assist VIY’s Youth engagement team when recruiting young people to volunteer for your project.

Project Management
VIY will project manage from start to completion of the works. A project manager is appointed to liaise with you/your club to understand your needs, cost up and source materials with our partners. We provide skilled mentors who can work with young people on the project to support them and lead in project completion. Your club will provide final sign off on the works proposed.

 

Refurbishment Project Eligibility Criteria

  • Refurbishment projects must be at a club/space in Coventry, Solihull or Warwickshire
  • The club/space cannot be solely used for football
  • The club/space should own their building or have a lease that enables them to make building improvements
  • The club/space should be located in an area among the top two deciles according to the National Indices of Multiple Deprivation, or work with and benefit people who live in these deprived communities
  • The club/space should have appropriate employer/public liability/building insurance and up to date and appropriate child safety & safeguarding policies 
  • The club/space must be able to  demonstrate how the refurbishment will help enable more people to be active

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    Eligible items to be included in refurbishment:

    • Painting and decorating of spaces
    • Building storage and/or seating
    • Simple kitchen and bathroom works (accessibility, tiling or units)
    • Joinery
    • Outdoor renovation of green spaces
    • Sanding and floor tiling
    • Basic plastering and patch repairs

     

    Items which can’t be included:

    • Building
    • Extensions or structural building works
    • Hot works
    • Extensive work at height
    • Gas works
    • Extensive electrical works
    • Roofing works
    • Air conditioning
    • Complex flooring work

     

    Value of Refurbishment

    Think Active and VIY are able to provide funding and resources to successful projects up to the value of approximately £20,000. Organisations can apply for larger projects, but they will need to be able to contribute towards the project through fundraising or other funding contributions.

     

    How do we apply

    Complete the Expression of interest form available here by Monday 7th November.

     

    Timescales

    • Expression of Interest to be submitted by Monday 7th November 2022
    • Projects will be contacted by a member of Think Active or VIY to discuss their project and provide more information on top of Expression of Interest questions
    • Potential site visit to understand the approximate cost will happen between November and December 2022
    • Successful projects will be notified by December 2022
    • Refurbishment projects to take place from January 2023 onwards

    Additional Support

    If you want any support with completing the Expression of Interest or you would like to discuss your idea then please contact us on info@teamviy.com.

    If you’re successful

    We’ll take a look at your expression of interest and if suitable, you’ll receive a few further questions from VIY and Think Active about your project. Then if appropriate, an award agreement that confirms details of the project and contains our terms and conditions will follow.

    Apply now

    I’d like to find out more about becoming a mentor
    I work with young people who would benefit from VIY
    I have a potential project and I’d like to find out more